Wire burning unit



Feb. 10, 1942.

E. D. BOISSELIER WIRE BURNING. UNIT Filed March 11, 1939 Patented Feb.10, 1942 WVIRE BURNING UNIT Earl D. Boisselier, Glen Ellyn, Ill.,assignor to Blanche F. Boisselier, Glen Ellyn, 111.

Application March 11, 1939, Serial No. 261,272

2 Claims.

This invention relates to devices for cutting out various ornaments,figures, designs and the like, by a heated resistance wire which cuts byburning the material to conform to the desired outline or shape.

More especially, the present invention relates to a device adapted forjuvenile amusement, or educational purposes from an artistic standpoint,and has particularly in view the provision of a burning wire heated bylow voltage current which will substantially perform the function of ajig saw in a safe and practical manner, and without the noise and otherdisadvantages of a saw or cutter of the type heretofore used. In thatconnection, the invention contemplates a device which may be pluggedinto any convenient service so that the user may obtain the desiredcutting effect by slowly moving the material to be out against the wirein a straight line or from side to side, or backward or forward, as thecase may be, to permit following any pre-determined outline. In otherwords, the heating resistance wire provides in effect a blade which cutsfrom any and all sides and any and all angles.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and practicalunit which may be readily manufactured and sold within a reasonableprice range thereby particularly adapting the construction for generaluse as a toy or for educational purposes as desired.

With the above and other objects in view which will more readily appearas the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consistsin the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts,hereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

The preferred and practical embodiment is shown in the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved device. I

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the construction shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail perspective view of a wire burning pencil.

Figure 4 is a wiring diagram.

Similar references designate corresponding parts throughout the severalfigures of the drawing.

According to the embodiment shown in the drawing, the same includes inits organization a base or stand designated generally as A, preferablymade of metal stamping, although wood may be used, and provided at itsunder side with rubber suction cups B for secure attachment to a tableor other surface so that it will not move or shift when in use.

Mounted on the base A is a housing C which may also be of metal, and hasits bottom edge clinched or otherwise secured to the base A while itsupper end is closed by a top wall C. This casing houses a transformer Twhich may be connected with any convenient service outlet by a cord andplug unit T.

At the end of the base A opposite the casing C there is provided a hotwire element D. This wire has its lower end anchored to the terminalscrew l of a bracket 2 secured to the base and suitably insulatedtherefrom. The bracket 2 is connected by a wire 3 with one of theterminals of the transformer T. The upper end of the wire D is connectedto a terminal 4 formed on the end of a spring brass bar or plate 5 whichhas the end thereof opposite the terminal 4 riveted or otherwise securedto the top wall C of the housing C by insulating rivets 6 and a suitableinsulation plate "I. The end of the spring bar 5 carrying the terminal 4is provided with a circular guard plate 8 secured to the end of the barby a suitable fastening 9.

It will thus be apparent that since the bar 5 is made of spring metal,the hot wire D will remain stretched so as to permit the wood, cardboardor other material being operated on, firmly pressed against the wire.

According to Figure 1 it is apparent that the device may be equipped sothat a wire burning pencil E may be conveniently used in place of thevertical hot wire D, if desired. To that end,

one side of the casing C is provided with plug receptacle openings F anda switch designated generally as G and including an operators handle.From the wiring diagram, Figure 4, it will be apparent that the switch Gmay be manipulated to render either the hot wire D operative, or throwthe low voltage current to the terminals F1 and F2 behind the plugreceptacle openings F. That is to say, from Figure 4 it will be observedthat the transformer wire .2: leads to the base of the handle of theswitch G so that when the handle is moved to contact with the switchterminal :c, the current will follow the wire :2 to the burning wire Dand will thence make its way back to the transformer over the lead 3!.The lead y is tapped by a lead a which leads to the plug terminal FThus, when the switch handle is moved to the position 2 the current fromthe transformer lead as will be transferred to the terminal F so thatthe receptacle terminals R. and F are electrically available.

The pencil E preferably includes a Bakelite handle l0 having a porcelaininsert I I in one end thereof, said insert being provided with suitableopenings for housing the ends of the wires of the cord unit which areconnected with a resistance wire l2 forming the point of the pencil. Theplug members H and H of the cord H are of special formation, forexample, of round wire so that these terminals can only be plugged intothe receptacle opening F and cannot be inserted into a standard outletreceptacle using a 110 volt current. This provides a safety featurewhich limits the use of the pencil to the present low voltage device.

When it is desired to use the pencil, it will, of course, be understoodthat the switch G is manipulated to cut off the current to the wire D sothat it will not be heated, and thus eliminate a hazard during the useof the pencil.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the present device providesa heated cutting wire or pencil which may be operated at low voltagewith complete safety to the user, only 3-6 volts being used, and inaddition is very economical in operation. The hot wire heats instantlyand cools instantly and provides, in the case of the wire D, simple andconvenient means for cutting any outline from any angle, or in the caseof the pencil, enables the user to lay the pattern on a suitable surfaceand follow the desired outline.

I claim:

1. A hot wire burning device for making ornamental designs, figures andthe like, comprising a base, a transformer on the base, a housing on thebase for the transformer, a bracket secured to the base, a wire terminalon the bracket, a spring arm carried by the casing, a wire terminal onthe end of the spring arm, a resistance wire having its lower endconnected with the terminal on the bracket and its upper end connectedwith the terminal on said spring arm, a guard carried by the end of thespring arm for shielding the hot wire, and current supplying leadsconnecting the said wire terminals with the transformer.

2. A hot wire device for making ornamental designs, figures and thelike, comprising a base, a transformer and a transformer housing mountedon the base, an arm fixed at one end to said transformer housing andextending from said housing into overlying relationship to the base, aresistance wire supported at one end by said base and at its other endto said arm, means for conducting current to said transformer, plugreceptacle means carried by said housing, and a switch also carried bysaid housing and operable to selectively include said resistance wireand said plug receptacle means in circuit with said transformer.

EARL D. BOISSELIER.

